LARAMIE — The two best teams in Wyoming Class 2A football will meet for all the marbles Friday at noon when the Mountain View Buffaloes face the Big Horn Rams in the state championship game at War Memorial Stadium, home of the Wyoming Cowboys.
Both teams enter the title matchup undefeated, with Mountain View (the No. 1 seed from the West) and Big Horn (the No. 1 seed from the East) setting the stage for what could be one of the most explosive 2A championship games in recent memory.
Mountain View boasts the most potent offense in the state, leading all 2A teams with 436 yards per game and being the only team to average over 400. The Buffaloes’ balanced attack has produced 72 total touchdowns this season, 44 of them coming on the ground. Their 265 rushing yards per game and 9.4 yards per carry are both the best in 2A.
Big Horn isn’t far behind. The Rams average 363 total yards per game and 66 total touchdowns this year, including 40 rushing scores. They average 184 rushing yards per game and a strong 7 yards per carry. In the air, both teams have been neck and neck all season. Big Horn leads 2A with 179 passing yards per game, just one more than Mountain View’s 174. The Buffaloes have 28 passing touchdowns to the Rams’ 26, and both teams have been efficient, combining for only six interceptions all season.
On defense, Big Horn holds the statistical edge. The Rams have the top-ranked defense in 2A, allowing just 161 yards and 6.3 points per game while forcing 28 turnovers. Mountain View ranks fifth overall, giving up 226 yards per game and excelling against the run, where they rank fourth in the classification by allowing only 106 rushing yards per contest. The Buffaloes have forced 20 turnovers on the year.
For Mountain View, senior quarterback Justus Platts has been the driving force behind their offensive dominance. Platts leads 2A in both passing and rushing yards per game for a quarterback, averaging 170.9 through the air and 80.5 on the ground. His 44 total touchdowns, 27 passing and 17 rushing, make him one of the most dangerous dual-threat players in the state.
His favorite target, Ashton Colangelo, has been equally impressive. The receiver leads all 2A players with 98.3 receiving yards per game and 18 touchdown catches on 51 receptions for 1,081 yards. In the backfield, Jackson Sawyer adds another layer to the attack, ranking eighth in 2A with 76.4 rushing yards per game and averaging 8.9 yards per carry. Sawyer also owns the longest run in 2A this year on a 90-yard touchdown burst against Cokeville.
Defensively, linebacker Levi Jones anchors the Buffaloes. He ranks 12th in 2A in defensive points per game, totaling 89 tackles, seven for loss, two interceptions, and a defensive touchdown.
Big Horn’s offensive leader is running back Cruz Hernandez, who has powered the Rams’ ground game all season. Hernandez leads 2A with 135.7 rushing yards per game and 25 touchdowns. Quarterback Tucker Wulff complements that with a sharp passing attack, completing over 70 percent of his throws, best in 2A, for 155.2 yards per game, 22 touchdowns, and just two interceptions.
On defense, Finn Stalick leads the Rams with 87 tackles, seven for loss, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries, providing a steady presence for Big Horn’s stingy defensive unit.
Big Horn is the defending state champion, having defeated Cokeville in last year’s title game. The Rams have captured two of the past three state titles and are seeking their third in four seasons.
Mountain View, meanwhile, is returning to the championship stage for the first time since 2019, when the Buffaloes last won it all. After back-to-back semifinal exits the past two years, this Mountain View team has been determined to finish what previous squads could not.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon Friday in Laramie.
